352 anti-semitic acts in France in January alone...

Almost equivalent to all of 2008....

The head of France’s Jewish political umbrella group told members of the country’s government that “anti-Semitism is back.”

CRIF President Richard Prasquier spoke Monday night at the group’s annual dinner to ministers and bipartisan politicians about the issues facing French Jews.

Raising his voice, Prasquier defended “the right to be Zionists without being victims of anti-Semitism.” The state “must give the impetus” for dialogue initiatives that will protect Jews and help a diverse society live together, he added.

In January, 352 anti-Semitic acts were counted in France, compared to some 460 each for all of 2007 and 2008, he said.

Prasquier slammed political leaders in the Communist and Green parties for marching under “hate banners and death slogans” in virulent anti-Israel protests that provoked a spike in anti-Jewish attacks during Israel's Gaza offensive.

Of the protests, Prasquier said, “The real objective was to glorify Hamas,” a “notorious terrorist movement.”